Portret van koning Albert I en koningin Elisabeth van België 1912

Benjamin Couprie captured this portrait of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium with photography, freezing a moment that hints at so much more. Look at the way the light catches the Queen’s feathered hat and cascades down her dress. It’s like he’s trying to grasp something intangible, a fleeting impression. The tonal range here, the shades moving from dark to light, almost feels like a drawing. The soft focus obscures so much detail, instead presenting an idea, an essence. I’m drawn to how Couprie uses light to define the space between them, a silent dialogue in the way the light falls. This piece makes me think of Gerhard Richter’s blurry photos, the way he scrapes and obscures to reveal a painting's inner life. Art's like a conversation, echoing across time and space.